Round 8 Feature Match: Robert Boyajian versus Justin Delhon

November 18th, 2012

With 5-2 records headed into this, the last Round of Day 1 competition, these two veteran Duelists were fighitng for their lives in this tournament! A win here and two more wins tomorrow could see one of these competitors headed to the Top 32. But one stumble – just a single misstep! – would knock one of them straight out of contention. The last time these two Duelists squared off, it was in the Top 4 of YCS Indianapolis in 2011. It was a knock-down dragout Match that saw Boyajian win his way to the Finals, before winning the entire Championship mere minutes later.

Now it was time for a rematch! Robert Boyajian is playing Mermails, while Delhon is running Chaos Dragons.

Boyajian opened the Match with a hand of GenexController; two Abyss-sphere; two Salvage; and AtlanteanDragoons. Rough hand. He Set a ‘sphere.

Delhon Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld to Special SummonSangan. He attacked with Tour Guide, but Boyajian responded with Abyss-sphere; Delhon Chained with the effect of Maxx “C”! Boyajian Special Summoned MermailAbysspike to block the attacks, then discarded Dragoons for Abysspike’s negated effect, searching out DeepSeaDiva. Delhon slammed Sangan into Abysspike, getting another Maxx “C” and Special Summoning Tragoedia from his hand! Tragoedia attacked with 3000 ATK, running over Abysspike. AllureofDarkness in Main Phase 2 got him two draws, and he banished Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon. Delhon shifted Tragoedia to Level 3; overlaid it with Tour Guide; and Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in Defense Position.

Boyajian drew HeavyStorm and Normal Summoned DeepSeaDiva. He activated its effect; Delhon Chained his second Maxx “C”; and drew a card when Boyajian Special Summoned AtlanteanHeavyInfantry. He Set his second ‘sphere.

Delhon Normal summoned CardTrooper, sending EffectVeiler, Lightpulsar Dragon, and Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter to the Graveyard to boost it up to 1900 ATK. Zenmaines attacked over Diva, and Trooper ran down Heavy Infantry. Delhon moved to his End Phase and Boyajian considered activating his Abyss-sphere. He eventually decided not to.

Boyajian finally got a GenexUndine. He returned his Diva and Heavy Infantry to his hand with Salvage, then Normal Summoned both to Special Summon AtlanteanMarksman. He flipped Abyss-sphere to Special Summon MermailAbysspike.

Boyajian attacked CardTrooper with AtlanteanMarksman, letting Delhon draw a card with Trooper’s effect. The successful attack triggered Marksman’s ability, allowing Boyajian to Special Summon AtlanteanDragoons. He rapped his fingers on the table, counting out the moves he was contemplating before attacking Zenmaines with Abysspike, then Dragoons, then making a direct attack with Diva. Zenmaines was still on the field, but in Main Phase 2 Boyajian Tuned Diva, Marksman, and Heavy Infantry to Synchro Summon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! He discarded GenexController to destroy Zenmaines, then overlaid his Dragoons and Abysspike to Xyz Summon AbyssDweller!

Delhon drew to seven cards in hand, and activated MonsterReborn to bring back Sangan. He banished Tour Guide and Ryko to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, then attacked to destroy Gungnir… unwittingly destroying his Black Luster Soldier too! Delhon hadn’t realized that AbyssDweller’s effect had boosted Gungnir to 3000 ATK, just enough to match BLS! Delhon heaved a sigh, disappointed in himself: “That might have cost me the game. Go.”

Boyajian drew Tragoedia. He activated Dweller’s effect to detach Dragoons, and searched out MoulinglaciatheElementalLord from his Deck with seven WATER monsters in his Graveyard! He took back DeepSeaDiva and AtlanteanHeavyInfantry with Salvage and Special Summoned MoulinglaciatheElementalLord to discard Delhon’s SolarRecharge and LightpulsarDragon! Boyajian had searched Moulinglacia for free; traded one in-hand card for two; and discarded two cards from his opponent’s hand, and he was nowhere near finished. He Normal Summoned HeavyInfantry to Normal Summon Diva, Special Summoning AtlanteanMarksman.

Boyajian continued, overlaying Diva and Infantry to Xyz Summon GachiGachiGantetsu. He sent Abyss Dweller to attack Sangan, then made a direct attack with Marksman. Delhon immediately conceded.

A tremendous misplay leads Justin Delhon to send his Black Luster Soldier to its demise, and it’s all downhill from there! Robert Boyajian capitalizes with a massive string of plays to steal Delhon’s momentum and take the first duel! “Why did I DO that?!” Delhon gave a moan, before snapping himself out of it and going for his Side Deck.

Delhon Summoned CardTrooper to send NightAssailant, ChaosSorcerer, and MonsterReborn to the Graveyard.

Boyajian had two GenexUndine; SkillDrain; AtlanteanDragoons; MermailAbysslinde; and Pot of Avarice. Not bad at all! He Summoned Undine to get GenexController from his Deck, and kicked AtlanteanDragoons to his Graveyard to add MermailAbyssmegalo to his hand. He attacked Trooper with Undine, dishing out 800 Battle Damage. Delhon drew a card. Boyajian Set SkillDrain.

Delhon Set a Spell or Trap.

Boyajian drew his second GenexController and Summoned it, attacking with GenexUndine. Delhon Special Summoned Tragoedia; Boyajian flipped SkillDrain to try and reduce its ATK; and Delhon Chained MysticalSpaceTyphoon to destroy SkillDrain before it could resolve. Boyajian Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in Main Phase 2.

Delhon activated Prohibition, calling MermailAbyssmegalo.

Boyajian drew Abyss-sphere and Set it.

Delhon Set a monster, and when he reached his End Phase Boyajian flipped Abyss-sphere. Delhon Chained Maxx “C” and drew a card when Boyajian Special Summoned MermailAbysslinde. When she was destroyed in the End Phase by Abyss-sphere, Boyajian Special Summoned MermailAbysspike and pitched AtlanteanDragoons to get DeepSeaDiva and AtlanteanMarksman to his hand. Delhon drew again with Maxx “C”. Delhon had six cards in hand, with Prohibition, Tragoedia, and a Set monster on the field.

Boyajian drew to eight cards in hand, getting AtlanteanMarksman. He had Zenmaines and Abysspike on the field. He Summoned DeepSeaDiva and Delhon responded with another Maxx “C”! He drew another card when Boyajian Special Summoned AtlanteanHeavyInfantry.

He Synchro Summoned ScrapDragon, and used its effect to blow a Material off Zenmaines, destroying Tragoedia! Scrap Dragon attacked into Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Delhon destroyed the Dragon. In the End Phase he discarded GenexController, and destroyed Prohibition with Zenmaines.

Delhon Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld to Special Summon Sangan, then pitched Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress for SolarRecharge: he drew two cards and sent Ryko and DarkflareDragon to the Graveyard. He banished to Special Summon another Darkflare, then banished that for Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, Special Summoning LightpulsarDragon from his hand! He overlaid Sangan and Tour Guide for Number 17: Leviathan Dragon and buffed it to 2500 ATK, then Special Summoned another LightpulsarDragon. Boyajian had 5400 Life Points. Delhon stacked his Dragons for Number 25: Force Focus and went for Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. It banished Zenmaines, and a series of direct attacks ended the second Duel!

Justin Delhon locks down MermailAbyssmegalo with Prohibition, then unleashes a flurry of Special Summons to take the second Duel! Nine minutes remained in the Match. Whoever lost this last Duel was virtually out of the tournament.

Boyajian had two Salvage; MonsterReborn; GenexUndine; DarkHole; and AtlanteanMarksman. He Summoned Undine; got GenexController; and kicked AtlanteanDragoons to the Graveyard to add DeepSeaDiva to his hand. He Set a Salvage.

Delhon Summoned CardTrooper, sending two Tour Guide from the Underworlds and Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning to the Graveyard to attack over Undine.

Boyajian drew PotofDuality. He Summoned Marksman and attacked CardTrooper, Special Summoning AtlanteanDragoons from his Deck. Delhon Special Summoned Tragoedia. Boyajian used MonsterReborn to bring back his first Dragoons, then overlaid them for AbyssDweller! He shook his head and gave a sigh at some sort of mistake or reflection – or maybe an opportunity? – that only he could see, then detached a Dragoons to get MermailAbyssmegalo from his Deck. He Set PotofDuality to continue the bluffing.

Delhon drew to six cards in hand, then discarded NightAssailant to take control of AtlanteanMarksman with Tragoedia. He Special Summoned DarkArmedDragon! Delhon banished one Tour Guide to destroy Salvage, then another Tour Guide to destroy Duality, clearing Boyajian’s back row.

Time was called, and Delhon shifted Tragoedia to Level 3. He activated DarkArmedDragon’s effect, targeting AbyssDweller, and Boyajian Chained its effect, getting MoulinglaciatheElementalLord with Dragoons. Delhon Xyz Summoned Number 17: Leviathan Dragon, then Special Summoned DarkflareDragon and Normal Summoned Sangan for game!